The stars now set the stage toward Saturday’s partial lunar eclipse (June 26). This lunar eclipse rises over North and South America, and sets over Australia and Asia. The greatest visibility will occur in the (South) Pacific Ocean, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan. The total duration of this eclipse is just under 3 hours. If they do not directly aspect your chart, they can come and go with little impact.

Note that the effects of eclipses are always strongest where they actually occur, (for example, June 24, the Prime Minister of Australia was voted out and replaced with the country’s first woman PM), but they will also be influential in corresponding geodetic (astro-mapping) regions. Those in western North and South America get to see more of the eclipse than eastern dwellers do, but as we have already seen, the eclipse is active in the geodetic region of Eastern Canada (June 23 quake, the security heavy G 8 and G 20 summits) and the Gulf of Mexico where we have just witnessed even more devastating backtracking re the oil rig repair. The soccer world cup in South Africa continues through the lunar eclipse and ends on the solar eclipse, July 11. Jupiter and Uranus, (also feature influences of this lunar eclipse), hold jurisdiction over much of South Africa. (Germany, & parts of Western Europe too.)

When a Lunar Eclipse occurs, our personal and private life journey can “pivot on a dime”, but noting that the Capricorn/Cancer axis is featured, we are also like to see social, political, economic, geo-physical events of significance too. (In other words, this particular eclipse could take on the eventfulness usually associated with a solar eclipse.) This eclipse is also part of a metonic cycle. Think back to June 26, 1991. This cycle is now in completion. At the same time the shaping occurrences of the here and now buckle us into our seats for this next 19 year evolutionary mandate, which will complete in June of 2029. (Will it take that long to repair from the oil rig disaster?)

We can be taken by surprise, but in reality, a lunar eclipse brings the already building undercurrents to the surface where we are forced to address them. It can reveal circumstances and relationship issues that we may have had a feeling about but have so far ignored, downplayed, avoided, etc. The Lunar eclipse across the Cancer/Capricorn axis can hit below the belt of our emotional, physical, economic, and material security. It is important not to get caught up in the tailwinds of surprise, or to waste energy on denial or blame. See your reality for what it actually is, and use the confronting moment to reposition to higher and more productive ground. Stonewalling, overcompensating, or rationalizing it all away will not do you justice.

Capricorn is an archetype that corresponds to endings, mortality, time-spans, and reality itself. When the cardinal (action-oriented) Cancer/Capricorn polarity is ignited, we come face to face with the consequences of our past. Progressively from here, we will start to identify with the rhythm of the metronome’s new beat.

While the above can sound alarming, eclipses can be positive catalysts too. The lunar eclipse could bring your life’s circumstances to a long-sought after mountain’s peak. It can a potent time of circumstances ripening, one peppered with significant achievement and rewarding actualization.

While only a portion of the moon is obscured by the earth’s shadow, this eclipse is of particular note due to the fact that there are a number of extra planetary players involved. Together they energize the cardinal cross configuration that so many astrologers have mentioned as of recently. (I’m taking a bit of license here in order to make my point; in actuality, Saturn is in a mutable, not cardinal sign.) This configuration is particularly pressurized; it can be described as lava at the boiling point. Note the grand-cross configuration with the following planets: Mercury/Sun in Cancer, opposing Moon/Pluto in Capricorn, squared by Jupiter/Uranus in Aries and Saturn in Virgo. (Astrologers, note also that Moon and Ceres (north), and Mercury and Pallas (south) are in out-of-bounds declinations.)

The karmic (nodal) axis of this eclipse occurs in the constellation of Sagittarius, suggesting that we, personally and collectively, are in a critical future shaping moment; that truth - and Gaia’s truth too - will be unleashed, one way or another. Whatever is mobilized will spread with great force (and high volume/mass too.) I pray that more physical or environmental catastrophe does not occur. If possible, avoid travel for a few days either side of the eclipse date (June 26.) Mercury teamed with the eclipse Sun suggests an important communique, message, transmission, event, or piece of news. A key person could factor quite strongly too, whether it is an intermediary or messenger, an expert, parent, boss, or authority person. You could become clued in (or confronted by) to something or someone that completely alters your perspective or decisions. Mercury’s involvement in the eclipse offers an idea time to dialogue with yourself and your soul through any vehicle that compels you (counseling, workshops, meditation, deep memory process work, creative exploration, etc.)

Transfixed, obsessed, peeling back the layers, the eclipse Moon and Pluto together mines/plummets the depths and runs the gamut of emotions. Expect to find more than expected lurking in the recesses. Watch for secrets, hidden agendas, hidden emotions revealed; we can also witness underhanded power-plays, targeting, manipulation, more system corruption, perhaps political coups, acts of aggression, terrorism etc. Please note that Moon/Pluto can one of paranoia too, try not to get too obsessed about the negative or the potentials. Too, don’t let yourself get coerced (by someone or by “should”) into something you know isn’t right for you.

Saturn in Virgo can draw attention to the fact that we are in a too little, too late to salvage chapter. (Case in point, the Gulf oil rig disaster.) The time for plugging holes and excuse-making is over. The past is a done deal, and the new reality is already defining itself in no uncertain terms. You may not know where you are going to next, but you can know for certainty where you should not be. Step away from the doors that now close. You are not meant to pry them open again.

Live-wire planets Jupiter and Uranus in Aries are fired up not only for the eclipse, but also for the summer. They are the planets of amazing (and shocking) discoveries, of innovation, synchronicity, opportunity, and reinvention. These two serve to catapult circumstances into an even faster forward. They serve to accelerate our liberation, like it or not. They call for risking taking and a radical departure from what was. While those who are directly influenced by the current stellar influences will be going through the paces in a big way now, know that none of us are exempt from a major reshaping of our everyday reality. If you are wondering when we will reach the end of this present one-thing-after-another intensity, the answer is - not any time soon. The race has already begun and we are speeding along our future’s time-line faster than we know. The best we can do now is to welcome the revealing moment for the incredible opportunity that it is. Knowledge is power, take action on it. Saturday’s eclipse signals the start of the summer pressure-cooker stars.

Rose, this is excellent! Thanks so much for sharing the info here. Over the years I've heard different astrologers use different orbs for aspects to the eclipse. What orb do YOU use and/or does it depend on the planets and/or kind of aspect involved in the eclipse?

Generally the orbs should be tight for an eclipse, 1 - 1, 1/2 - perhaps you could consider 2 degrees. Astrologers look at the type of eclipse and the duration. This one is partial and of average duration, and the moon is not fully obscured, so those are all considerations. Still, out of bounds planets, such as the eclipse moon (-24) and Ceres (-25.49) intense the effects. It's always good to do your own observation...

aside, a really interesting thing happened at Wimbleton yesterday which I attribute to the exceptional eclipse influence of Jupiter/Uranus in Aries. Two minor tennis players (US and Germany I think it was) were so evenly matched that their session went on for 2 days with the final score being in the 70's. They set a Guiness World record. (I don't know much about tennis, but apparently they had to let the game keep going until someone faltered. The US player finally won.)

Of course the scandal of the firing of US head of the Afghan war is another occurrence that can be contributed to the effects this eclipse. I always describe eclipses like plucking the string of a music instrument, it's resonance carries over a period of time.

Thanks, Rose. This eclipse will happen pretty much ON my chart ruler, my 8th house Venus in Cap (3 Cap 59), with, of course, TR Pluto sitting right there as well.

Yes, the tennis match was really something. Isner (US) played Mahut (France), and I guess they set all kinds of records and went into a 3rd day. Two of the records they shattered were the most games in a set (138) and the most games in a match (183). Talk about Jupiterian excess!

I'm waiting to see if Rafael Nadal can reclaim his Wimbledon title from Roger Federer! Fingers crossed.

I never thought of looking at metonic cycles- For those who don't know what that is (I just looked it up) tt's simply an entire nodal cycle. The last time there was an eclipse with the south node in Cancer, NN in Capricorn was June 1991. At that time, Neptune and Uranus was on the nn- and now uranus is squaring the nodes. The history of that summer is very telling indeed.

Hi Ari, Adina, Linda and all..The Metonic cycle repeats nearly exactly every 19 years and represents a Saros cycle plus one lunar year. Because it occurs on the same calendar date, the earth's shadow will be in nearly the same location relative to the background stars. Yes, it is a nodal return cycle, but more importantly, metonic eclipses will have the same luminary positions as their predecessors. This year’s eclipses are all metonic, (Jan 14, June 26, July 11, Dec. 21) which references the dates in 1991. History was shaped in that year; tragically, 2010 has certainly proved to be another stand-out year right from the get-go (Haiti quake.) Again, the actual eclipse dates can produce events, but they are also launch-points; eclipses hold influence over a duration of time. What has been so alerting to me was the Jan 14 metonic solar eclipse which involved Venus in Capricorn. This eclipse marked the ending of a 19 year (economic, social, governing) reality and began a critical new one pertaining to the survival of the planet itself.

A metonic eclipse will complete an entire cycle of ego (moon, lunar eclipse) consciousness and integration, (the sun, solar eclipse) as it pertains to whatever planet is ignited. In Adina’s case, it refers to a completion of consciousness of Venus in Capricorn in her 8th house (survival, self worth, net worth, pre-existing patterns, old histories/liabilities, consequences of former times, surpassing of limitations), and of stepping forward into a new cycle of conscious “seeing” (full moon), creating, and relating - to herself, to her soul, and therefore to the choices and realities she creates. It is an important time of restructuring at a core/soul level (8th house), of viewing the polarizations & contradictions (full moon, 180 degree aspect) that have existed within her conditioned consciousness (Capricorn), in order to bring this consciousness to final completion. It suggests a key time of consciously observing self in action, (full moon/lunar eclipse), of evaluating, relating, and being. As this viewing and reassessment occurs, the eclipse catalyst also prompts the creation of new programming at the soul level. The eclipse finds the soul poised at an important threshold, one that advances a new reality and energizes new creations/new life for the soul.

Thanks SO much, Rose! It will be interesting to see what "new reality" and "new creations/life" will be energized for my soul over the next three or so months. It could get QUITE exciting, considering the transition trajectory I'm on! LOL

Thanks so much for this post Rose. I really enjoyed learning about the term "metonic."

An interesting thing happened for me last week. I ran into a man I was in a relationship with beginning in february of 1990. We broke it off in June of 1991, on the last eclipse of Cap/Cancer and now we meet again. The north node is in my 7th and the south in the 1st.

In talking with him, he told me he wanted to pay me back money I lent him all that time ago. I had totally forgotten about it until he mentioned it. It's very interesting indeed to have these connections during such poignant times.